Jamie Carragher has scotched talk that Erling Haaland has weakened Manchester City - but admitted that the Norwegian striker hasn't necessarily made Pep Guardiola's side any better, either.
Haaland made a storming start to life in the Premier League following his blockbuster summer switch from Borussia Dortmund and has already plundered 21 goals in just 17 league outings.
But with City struggling for form recently after winning just two of their last five league games, Haaland has been scrutinised after blanking in three consecutive matches. Some people have even gone as far as suggesting that City, who thrived without an orthodox striker last year, are struggling to work out how to adapt to life with an out-and-out No.9 and may have actually been better off without Haaland.
Carragher doesn't necessarily agree with that notion, however, he does admit that the Premier League's leading marksman has made Manchester City a "different" team rather than a better one.
When he was asked whether he believed Haaland had made City better or worse, Carragher told Sky Sports: "I don't think it's either; it means they're different. I said that at the start of the season: signing Haaland was no guarantee Manchester City would win the league, it just meant they would be different as a team.
"He will score lots of goals, but how many points City get normally to win a title, which is probably mid-90 points...you can't really get much more than that. They had 100 one season, [but] they're not gonna get over 100 points, I don't care who they've got in the team.
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"They were just going to be a different team, they weren't necessarily going to be a better team for me, they were just going to be different. Right now they're going through a bit of indifferent form but I'd expect Manchester City to come back. I'd expect City to beat Spurs."
Haaland failed to make an impact in the Manchester derby last weekend and Guardiola admitted that City had to work out a way to involve get the goal machine more involved in games.
Speaking after City were beaten at Old Trafford, Guardiola said of Haaland: "At the moment, we have that process, because when teams are sat in their 18-yard box it's more difficult. But we have to find him [Haaland] a little bit more, yes. He had enough touches, but it’s true that when you're looking at areas, then you have to look at him.
"But we will do it. Everyone can get him more involved. When we have the ball, everyone is allowed to attack."
